With some great play and an amazing audible from their head coach, the Becker tennis team picked up a pair of wins last week.

Coach Hokan Bengtson needed to tap his inner-creativity last Thursday as the team traveled to North Branch for a conference match-up.  As they arrived at the host site, the heavy downpour of rain made the Vikings’ courts unplayable so Bengtson got on his smartphone and found two courts at an Isanti community park.  

With both teams’ upcoming schedule pretty full, the coaches were unable to find a make-up date so the extra creativity was needed.

“We drove back to Isanti and played on two courts in a park with half the team and at the same time we played at two courts in a park in Cambridge with the other half of the team,” Bengtson said.  “The guys were resilient and won 7-0 against an improved North Branch team.”

Zach Bengtson, Troy Nuest, Adler and Brock Herdina picked up the singles wins for the Bulldogs, while the doubles were also perfect - Landon Peterson/Sawyer Brown, Garret Lane/Jon Drury and Carter Ager/Nathan Weiss.

Last Friday, the team downed the St. Cloud Crush, 6-1.

“It was a blustery day in Foley for our match with St. Cloud,” Bengtson said.  “It was a good test and we played well versus an always well coached St. Cloud team.”

Again, the four top singles players swept their matches in straight sets, while Peterson/Brown and Lane/Drury picked up the doubles wins, also in straight sets.

This week, Becker fell to Chanhassen in a Monday afternoon match, 3-4.

“It was a great battle in Becker as the Chanhassen team was really tough and skilled,” Bengtson said. “We had great matches all over the courts.”

Both Herdina’s picked up wins in the singles matches, while Ager/Weiss teamed up for a nice win at #3 doubles, winning in straight sets, 6-1.

“This is a match we will look back on that taught us a lot about our team,” Bengtson said.  “We really had a chance to be pushed and compete today - which is the best competition to be in.”

Becker is 6-1 on the season.